My review of Family Illusions by Bess George

Charlie Gomez has not had an easy life with her mom, Elsa. Charlie believes that Elsa suffers from delusional paranoia as she has always been looking out behind her and worried about El Diablo. When Elsa dies, Charlie and her best friend Jasmine move to New York City but they haven't left everything behind.

Jaxon Roberts has a Private Investigator and has been running his adopted father's business. His father, Charles, never got over being left by Elsa and always believed the best about her. When Jaxon tracks down Charlie after the death of Charles, he hoped she would just take the money and leave but Charlie wants in on the family business.

When Jaxon isn't the only one to track Charlie down she realizes how right her mother was and that maybe she was better off when she was hidden. When Charlie disappears will Jaxon discover the truth?

I enjoyed this book and some of the twists and turns that we saw happen. I liked Charlie and really liked how she realized at the end how genuine her mom was and why they lived the way that they did. It was super sad but as a mom I do understand. I also loved how Charlie couldn't have things go right with the simplest of everything - she and working just did not go well together and it wasn't on purpose.

I think Jaxon was right to initially be hesitant towards Charlie but he kept up his guard for so long and then just gave up. I loved his friendship with Tony and I'm glad Tony understood what was going on!

The stuff with Charlie's other family was horrifying and I understood where Alberto was coming from initially and then the change in him at the right time.

This was the first time I have read this author and it won't be my last.

4 Stars